Diabetes Board decisions

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, to include as due to exposure to herbicides. The evidence did not establish a link between the disability and active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple conditions, including cellulitis, otitis media, tinnitus, nasopharyngeal cancer (claimed as throat cancer), diabetes mellitus, glaucoma (claimed as blindness), coronary artery disease, and degenerative joint disease of both knees. The preponderance of evidence is against the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple conditions, including cellulitis of the right lower extremity, type II diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, renal failure, lung cancer, and hypertension. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus was not caused by or the result of VA medical treatment, specifically the use of olanzapine to treat his schizophrenia. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against the claim.

The Board found that there was no exposure to herbicides during service, and thus the Veteran could not be presumed exposed. The evidence did not establish a direct link between diabetes mellitus type II and service. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and gout were denied as there was no evidence of in-service disease or injury. The Veteran's periodic limb movement disorder, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, migraine headaches, GERD, steatohepatitis, and right carpal tunnel syndrome are all rated based on their current manifestations.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and retinopathy of the bilateral eyes on a secondary basis to service-connected diabetes. The Veteran's claim for skin rash is reopened, but no new evidence was provided.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including heart disability, Type II diabetes mellitus, kidney disability, and hypertension. The issues are inextricably intertwined with the issue of service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus does not require regulation of activities (avoidance of strenuous occupational and recreational activities), so a higher initial evaluation is not warranted.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and colon cancer are not related to his service, including exposure to herbicides or PCBs. The claims were denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, and thus grants the reopening of the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus with hypertension, dermatophytosis, and bilateral hearing loss effective June 27, 2005. The Veteran's claims were filed on the same day as these determinations.

The Veteran's claim for a separate rating for neurological residuals of a shrapnel wound of the prostate is denied as there is no additional neurological impairment related to the service-connected condition.

The Veteran's statements regarding a personal assault during service in Vietnam are credible, and the preponderance of medical evidence supports an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder as a result of his claimed in-service stressors. Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is granted, but no increased rating or TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied, and his initial rating for diabetes mellitus was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of PTSD in accordance with DSM-IV criteria.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death, multiple blunt force injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident, was not caused by any service-connected disability and denied both claims for service connection for the cause of death and DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II; vertigo; and heart disorder are not related to his active service. The claims for these conditions were denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and hypertension contributed to his death from respiratory failure, making them contributory causes of death. As such, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorder were not incurred or aggravated during his active service. The evidence did not establish a chronic condition prior to separation from service.